Verbe modale i

VERBE MODALE I

MAY si CAN

(Permisiune, probabilitate, abilitate)

May si can sunt verbe modale sau ajutatoare: ele sunt verbe defective, deoarece:

au numai 3 timpuri: indicativ prezent, indicativ trecut si conditional prezent

nu primesc s la persoana a III-a singular

nu primesc do, does, did la interogativ sau negativ

sunt urmate de infinitivul fara TO

Timpurile care lipsesc sunt inlocuite cu:

to be able to – (abilitatea)

to be allowed to

to be permitted to – (permisiunea)

to be likely to – (probabilitatea)

May / Might

May se folosesste la prezent. Might la conditional prezent. Ambele sunt invariabile si sunt urmate de un infinitiv fara To.

Forme contrase: mayn’t / mightn’t

Utilizare:

1.     May se foloseste cu referire la evenimente sau actiuni posibile sau probabile in prezent, adesea cu sens de viitor. Might poate fi folosit pentru a sublinia o foarte redusa posibilitate.

There’s a black cloud above us. It may rain.

Alice may get angry if you tell her.

If you try hard enough, you might convince him to come.

Nota

Formele alternative sunt:

Maybe it will rain.

It is likely to rain.

2.     pentru a cere, a oferi sau a refuza permisiunea politicos

May I open the window? It’s very hot in this office.

You may not smoke in my car.

Might indica adesea teama vorbitorului de a nu primi un raspuns negativ, sau faptul ca el cere prea mult:

Might I borrow your Rolls Royce for the weekend?

Nota

Forme alternative:

Am I allowed to open the window?

You are not permitted to smoke in my car.

3.     cu well pentru a indica o foarte mare probabilitate

PROIECT: Absurdul - categorie estetico-literara derivata din cultivarea in fertilele PROIECT: INCEPUTURILE LITERATURII CULTE (primii scriitori „profesionisti”)

I think it may well rain today, look at those black clouds.

Put some money in the box, it might well be for a good cause.

Nota

Forme alternative:

I think it is very likely to rain today.

Nota

May / might as well are alt sens:

There is nothing interesting on TV this evening, I may / might as well have an early night.

4.     cu o constructie perfecta pentru a face referire la o presupunere in trecut

Bill isn’t in his office, he may have gone home early. (It’s possible that he went home.)

5.     cu o constructie perfecta pentru a face referire la ceva care s-ar fi putut petrece in trecut dar nu s-a petrecut, se poate folosi numai might

You might have burnt your hand while taking that hot tray out of the oven (but you didn’t).

Can / Could

Can se foloseste la prezent, adesea cu sens de viitor. Could se foloseste la trecut si conditional prezent. Ambele sunt invariabile si sunt urmate de infinitiv fara To.

Forme contrase: can’t / couldn’t

Utilizare:

1.     Can se foloseste pentru a cere, a acorda sau a refuza permisiunea, similar cu may, dar mai putin formal

You can drive at seventeen in the UK.

Can I borrow your pen, please? I’ve left mine at home.

You cannot go hunting out of season.

Nota

Forme alternative:

You are permitted to drive at seventeen in UK.

You are allowed to drive at seventeen in UK.

You may drive at seventeen in UK.

Nota

La negativ, could si might au sensuri diferite.

Ken could not be building the house by himself. (It’s impossible. It is too much work.)

Ken might not be building the house by himself. (He isn’t building the house himself. He probably has help.)

2.     pentru a face referire la probabilitate, posibilitate sau imposibilitate in prezent, in trecut sau la conditional

Look, there’s plenty of snow, we can go skiing today.

Let’s try his office; he could be there.

3.     pentru a face referire la abilitate sau indemanare in prezent, in trecut sau la conditional

Can you lay bricks?

My old car cannot go over 80 km an hour.

The girl can sing but she can’t dance for the life of her.

Could you drink as much?

Nota

Pentru alte timpuri se foloseste to be able to

She will be able to type 100 words a minute soon.

4.     folositi could + infinitiv perfect pentru a va referi la o actiune care nu a avut loc

I could have driven you to the airport, but I didn’t have my car.

Sau cand nu stim daca actiunea s-a petrecut sau nu

Have you seen my umbrella? Dan could have taken it; it was raining when he left.

Nota

Forme alternative:

You might have hurt your back lifting that heavy table.

You would probably have hurt your back lifting that heavy table.

Nota

May / might si can / could se repeta in intrebari disjunctive si raspunsuri scurte.

He can’t go, can he?

May Sally come in? Yes, she may.

Nota

To be able to exprima abilitatea. Este o alternativa formala pentru can / could in prezent, in trecut sau la conditional. Pentru toate celelalte timpuri putem folosi numai to be able to.

Exercitii:

Traduceti in limba engleza urmatoarele propozitii

1. Aceasta este o masa veche, pe care n-o poate ridica nimeni. 2. Nu stia sa inoate, asa ca atunci cand s-a scufundat vasul, s-a inecat. 3. Nu ai dreptul sa inaintezi, acest teren e proprietate privata. 4. Nu ai dreptul sa vinzi ce nu-ti apartine. 5. Nu se poate sa te fi hotarat sa-i refuzi orice ajutor tocmai cand are mai mare nevoie de el. 6. Idila lui cu ea nu poate sa fi durat mai mult de o luna. 7. E cu putinta sa se joace cand i-am spus sa-si faca mai intai temele? 8. Ai sa-i poti face pe plac, stiind ca e asa de sensibil? 9. Niciodata n-am fost in stare sa tin minte propozitii intregi. 10. Savantul a spus ca stie de mult sa numere. 11. Zise ca-mi poate da sifon daca mi-e sete. 12. Speram sa pot merge pe jos pana la gara, dar m-am oprit la o statie de autobuz. 13. L-ai putea astepta in birou daca ai vrea. 14. Ar fi putut sa se aseze pe un scaun gol, dar a preferat sa stea in picioare. 15. Puteai sa te uiti pe gaura cheii, daca erai asa de curios.

1. Pot sa te ajut cu ceva? 2. Imi permiti sa te ajut? 3. Poate ca se plimba prin gradina, habar n-am unde e. 4. Poate ca spune adevarul, mai bine ai asculta ce are de spus. 5. Poate ca-mi voi fi terminat lucrarea pana vii tu sa ma ajuti. 6. Poate ca batrana sufla greu dupa ce a urcat scarile acelea, fiindca liftul era defect. 7. Poate ca voi fi ajuns la gara pana va pleca trenul. 8. M-am gandit ca s-ar putea sa ploua, asa ca mi-am luat umbrela. 9. I-am spus ca n-are nimeni voie sa intre-n camera mea cand dorm. 10. S-ar putea sa tuseasca daca a racit. 11. La-i putea ajuta sa-si duca geanta, daca-l vezi gafaind. 12. Puteai sa-i imprumuti niste bani, daca stiai ca are greutati.

Cheia exercitiilor:

1. This is an old table which no one can lift. 2. He could not swim, so when the ship sank he drowned. 3. You can’t proceed, this land is private property. 4. You can’t sell what does not belong to you. 5. You can’t have resolved to deny him all help when he most needs it. 6. His romance with her can’t have lasted more than a month. 7. Can he be playing when I told him to do his homework first? 8. Will you be able to please him, knowing he is so sensitive? 9. I have never been able to remember long sentences. 10. The scholar said he had been able to count for a very long time. 11. He said he could give me soda if I was thirsty. 12. I hoped I could walk to the station but I stopped at a bus stop. 13. You could wait for him in the study if you would. 14. He could have taken a vacant seat, but he preferred standing. 15. You could have peeped through the keyhole if you were so curious.

1.Can I help you? 2. May I help you? 3. She may be walking in the garden, I have no idea where she is. 4. She may be telling the truth, you had better listen to what she has to say. 5. I may have finished my paper by the time you come to help me. 6. The old lady may have been breathing hard after she had climed all those stairs, because the elevator was out of order. 7. I may reached the station before the train leaves. 8. I thought it might rain, so I have taken my umbrella. 9. I told him no one might enter my room when I was asleep. 10. He might cough if he has caught cold. 11. You might help him carry his bag if you see him gasping for breath. 12. You might have lent him some money if you knew he was in need.